Annie's P.O.V
A whole week.
That’s how long it had been since I stepped foot in school. Seven long, coughing, aching, fever-ridden days. At first, I thought the break would do me some good. Maybe even clear my head, or reset whatever strange glitch had taken over my life lately. But all it did was give me space to think—too much space. And when the silence settled, it was impossible to ignore just how loud the absence of my friends felt.
No calls. No visits.
Not even a “Get well soon” text from Gabby or Malison.
I kept checking my phone, hoping to see something. Anything. But the only message I got was from Bryan—of all people.
“Heard you’re down. You okay?”
I stared at it for a long time before replying. We ended up chatting a bit—nothing deep, just casual banter. But it felt... comforting.
Now I was back. And everything felt worse.
I walked through the school gates that morning with a strange heaviness in my chest, like I was stepping into a battlefield where everyone had already c
